Kandjimi Murangi renovation costs escalate

Newly renovated… Some of the teachers’ houses at Kandjimi Murangi Secondary School that have recently been renovated.

Nankudu

Kandjimi Murangi Seconday School, which is in a state of total disrepair, is being renovated at a cost of N$70.8 million.

The ongoing renovations are reported to be progressing well since the site handover in March last year and the facelift is gradually giving the school a new and aesthetically pleasing look.

However, the costs are set to increase from N$70.8 million to no more than N$150 million, as they have to rebuild the kitchen and dining hall, which burned down last August while renovations were in full swing. The kitchen and almost the entire dining hall destroyed in the fire, the cause of which is still unexplained.

“Because of that [fire damage] the budget of the project will have to increase, as now the contractor has to rebuild a whole new state-of-the-art kitchen and dining hall and furnish it with equipment. The contractor is busy doing that as we speak,” said chief education planner Sevelinus Rengura.

Phase 1 of the renovations started with staff houses, as well as the laundry and hostel blocks for both boys and girls. Phase 2 will include the renovation of all school buildings and the construction of an additional four hostel blocks.

“Currently some of the hostel blocks are already occupied by learners, the laundry is completed, some of the staff houses are completed and now the contractor is busy with the dining hall and kitchen. So, that is the progress so far,” said Rengura, who is in charge of planning in both Kavango regions.

The school is located at Nankudu village, about 20 km east of Nkurenkuru in Kavango West, and has been falling apart in recent times as its buildings are very old. In January 2014, the roof of the girls’ hostel was blown off by a strong wind. Fortunately no one suffered any injuries as a result.

Early last year the old hostel ceiling also collapsed during the rainy season. It fell on some of the learners’ beds while they were asleep in the early morning hours.

Given the dilapidated state of the school the ministry of education decided to expedite its renovation, at the cost of N$150 million.
The renovations are being done by a Namibian-owned company, Kayofa Investments Holdings, whose contract period is 30 months.
“By the 11th of September next year the whole project should be completed,” Rengura said.